Control rod guide tube with an extended intermediate guide assembly

ABSTRACT

A nuclear reactor having an upper internals control rod assembly guide tube formed from upper and lower sections that are connected along a central axial region of the guide tube at an intermediate coupling. An extended control rod axial support is provided for at least some of the control rods over a finite distance within at least one of the interiors of the lower guide tube section or the upper guide tube section.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of and seeks priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/295,521, filed Jun. 4, 2014, entitled: ControlRod Guide Tube With extended Intermediate Guide Assembly.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

This invention relates generally to nuclear reactors and, moreparticularly, to nuclear reactors that employ top mounted control rods.

2. Related Art

The primary side of nuclear power generating systems which are cooledwith water under pressure comprises a closed circuit which is isolatedand in heat exchange relationship with a secondary side for theproduction of useful energy. The primary side comprises the reactorvessel enclosing a core internal structure that supports a plurality offuel assemblies containing fissile material, the primary circuit withinheat exchange steam generators, the inner volume of a pressurizer ,pumps and pipes, for circulating pressurized water; the pipes connectingeach of the steam generators and pumps to the reactor vesselindependently. Each of the parts of the primary side comprising a steamgenerator, a pump and the system of pipes which are connected to thevessel form a loop of the primary side.

For the purpose of illustration, FIG. 1 shows a simplified nuclearreactor primary system, including a generally cylindrical reactorpressure vessel 10 having a closure head 12 enclosing a nuclear core 14.A liquid reactor coolant, such as water, is pumped into the vessel 10 bypump 16, through the core 14 where heat energy is absorbed and isdischarged to a heat exchanger 18, typically referred to as a steamgenerator, in which heat is transferred to a utilization circuit (notshown), such as a steam driven turbine generator. The reactor coolant isthen returned to the pump 16, completing the primary loop. Typically, aplurality of the above-described loops are connected to a single reactorvessel 10 by reactor coolant piping 20.

An exemplary reactor design is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. Inaddition to the core 14 comprised of a plurality of parallel, vertical,co-extending fuel assemblies 22, for purposes of this description, theother vessel internal structures can be divided into the lower internals24 and the upper internals 26. In conventional designs, the lowerinternals' function is to support, align and guide core components andinstrumentation as well as direct flow within the vessel. The upperinternals restrain or provide a secondary restraint for the fuelassemblies 22 (only two of which are shown for simplicity in FIG. 2),and support and guide instrumentation and components, such as controlrods 28. In the exemplary reactor shown in FIG. 2, coolant enters thereactor vessel 10 through one or more inlet nozzles 30, flows downthrough an annulus between the reactor vessel and the core barrel 32, isturned 180° in the lower plenum 34, passes upwardly through a lowersupport plate 37 and a lower core plate 36 upon which the fuelassemblies 22 are seated and through and about the assemblies. In somedesigns, the lower support plate 37 and the lower core plate 36 arereplaced by a single structure, the lower core support plate, at thesame elevation as 37. The coolant flow through the core and surroundingarea 38 is typically large, on the order of 400,000 gallons per minuteat a velocity of approximately 20 feet per second. The resultingpressure drop and frictional forces tend to cause the fuel assemblies torise, which movement is restrained by the upper internals, including acircular upper core plate 40. Coolant exiting the core 14 flows alongthe underside of the upper core plate and upwardly through a pluralityof perforations 42. The coolant then flows upwardly and radially to oneor more outlet nozzles 44.

The upper internals 26 can be supported from the vessel 10 or the vesselhead 12 and include an upper support assembly 46. Loads are transmittedbetween the upper support assembly 46 and the upper core plate 40,primarily by a plurality of support columns 48. A support column isaligned above a selected fuel assembly 22 and perforations 42 in theupper core plate 40.

As will be explained in more detail hereafter, the reactor internalsalso include rectilinearly moveable control rods 28 for controlling thenuclear reaction within the core. The control rod assemblies, commonlyknown as rod cluster control mechanisms, typically include a drive shaft50 and a spider assembly 52 of neutron poison rods that are guidedthrough the upper internals 26 and into aligned fuel assemblies 22 bycontrol rod guide tubes 54. The guide tubes are fixedly joined to theupper support assembly 46 and are connected by a split pin 56 force fitinto the top of the upper core plate 40. The pin configuration providesfor ease of guide tube assembly and replacement if ever necessary andassures that the core loads, particularly under seismic or other highloading accident conditions, are taken primarily by the support columns48 and not the guide tubes 54. This support arrangement assists inretarding guide tube deformation under accident conditions which coulddetrimentally affect control rod insertion capability.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, represented in vertically shortened form,of a fuel assembly being generally designated by reference character 22.The fuel assembly 22 is the type used in a pressurized water reactor andhas a structural skeleton which, at its lower end includes a bottomnozzle 58. The bottom nozzle 58 supports the fuel assembly 22 on thelower core plate 36 in the core region of the nuclear reactor. Inaddition to the bottom nozzle 58, the structural skeleton of the fuelassembly 22 also includes a top nozzle 62 at its upper end and a numberof guide tubes or thimbles 54, which extend longitudinally between thebottom and top nozzles 58 and 62 and at opposite ends are rigidlyattached thereto.

The fuel assembly 22 further includes a plurality of transverse grids 64axially spaced along and mounted to the guide thimbles 54 (also referredto as guide tubes) and an organized array of elongated fuel rods 66transversely spaced and supported by the grids 64. Although it cannot beseen in FIG. 3, the grids 64 are conventionally formed from orthogonalstraps that are interleaved in an egg-crate pattern with the adjacentinterface of four straps defining approximately square support cellsthrough which the fuel rods 66 are supported in transversely spacedrelationship with each other. In many conventional designs, springs anddimples are stamped into the opposing walls of the straps that form thesupport cells. The springs and dimples extends radially into the supportcells and capture the fuel rods therebetween, exerting pressure on thefuel rod cladding to hold the rods in position. Also, the assembly 22has an instrumentation tube 68 located in the center thereof thatextends between and is mounted to the bottom and top nozzles 58 and 62.With such an arrangement of parts, fuel assembly 22 forms an integralunit capable of being conveniently handled without damaging the assemblyof parts.

To control the fission process, a number of control rods 28 arereciprocally movable in the guide thimbles 55 located at predeterminedpositions in the fuel assembly 22. Specifically, a rod cluster controlmechanism 80 positioned above the top nozzle 62 supports the controlrods 28. The control mechanism 80 has an internally threaded cylindricalhub member 82 with a plurality of radially extending flukes or arms 52.Each arm 52 is interconnected to one or more control rods 28 (thearrangement of the central hub and radially extending flukes is alsoreferred to as a spider mechanism), such that the control rod mechanism80 is operable to move the control rods vertically in the guide thimbles55 to thereby control the fission process in the fuel assembly 22 underthe motive power of control rod drive shafts 50 which are coupled to thecontrol rod hubs 80, all in a well-known manner. In the withdrawnposition, the control rods are guided up into the control rod guidetubes 55 above the upper core plate 40 and in the fully insertedposition the control rods occupy substantially the entire length of theguide thimbles 54 within the fuel assemblies as shown in FIG. 3.Alignment of the control rods through the upper internals 26 with theguide thimbles 55 in the fuel assemblies is maintained by guide cards 70supported in a spaced tandem arrangement along the length of the controlrod guide tubes 54.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the control rod assembly guide tube 54shown between the upper support assembly 46 and the upper core plate 40in FIG. 2. The guide tube 54 is made up of two sections, a lower guidetube section 78 and an upper guide tube section 84. The lower guide tubesection 78 has a generally square cross section while the upper guidetube section 84 has a generally rounded cross section. The lower guidetube section 78 is joined to the upper guide tube section 84 at anintermediate coupling 86. The upper and lower guide tube sections 84 and78 have a plurality of guide cards 70 supported in tandem in spacedrelationship to each other along the length of the guide tube 54 with acontinuous guided section 88 extending up from the bottom of the guidetube 54 a distance approximately equal to the spacing between the guidecards 70.

FIG. 5 is representative of the pattern of the openings in thecontinuous guided section 88, the guide cards 70 and the guide plate atthe intermediate coupling 86, through which the control rod assembly 80passes as it travels through the upper internals 26. The three-quarterround openings 72 guide the individual control rods 28 with the flukes52 passing through the straight portions 74 connecting the circularopenings 72 to the central opening 76 through which the hub 82 passes.The guide card illustrated in FIG. 5 is from the upper section 84 of theguide tube 54, but the pattern of the openings are representative of theopening pattern in the other guides as well; the difference being thatthe shape of the outer circumference changes from circular to generallysquare as one transitions from the upper section 84 to the lower section78 of the guide tube 54.

Aggressive guide card wear has been observed at some operating nuclearplants. When the special guide plate at the intermediate coupling 86 islocated within the series of allowable worn guide cards 70, the guideplate can be replaced during an outage to extend the life of the guidetube, in lieu of replacing the lower guide tube assembly 78, if heavilyworn. This mitigation technique reduces schedule, costs and radioactivewaste generated while enabling continued safe plant operation, albeitfor a limited portion of the remaining life of the plant.

Accordingly, a more permanent fix for guide card wear is desired thatcan be achieved on a similar schedule to that required to replace theguide plate at the intermediate coupling 86.

Additionally, such a repair is desired that would not require thegeneration of additional radioactive waste and is substantiallycomparable in cost to replacement of the guide plate.

SUMMARY

These and other objects are achieved for a nuclear reactor having apressure vessel housing a core of fissile material and an upper coreplate substantially covering the core. The nuclear reactor has a controlrod guide tube with an extended axial length, for guiding a control rodassembly into and out of the core, which extends between the upper coreplate and an upper support assembly supported above the upper coreplate. The control rod guide tube has a lower guide section connected ata first end to the upper core plate and terminating at a second end atan intermediate coupling. The control rod guide tube also has an upperguide tube section connected at a first end portion to the upper supportassembly and terminating at a second end at the intermediate coupling.The improvement comprises an extended control rod guide assembly that issupported substantially at the intermediate coupling and extendsaxially, a finite distance into at least one of an interior of the lowerguide tube section or the upper guide tube section.

The control rod assembly comprises a plurality of control rods and, inat least one embodiment, at least some of the control rods arecontinuously guided over substantially an entire axial length of thecontrol rod guide assembly. Preferably, some of the control rods areguided over discrete, spaced axial elevations along the axial length ofthe control rod guide assembly and, desirably, the control rodsextending along the cardinal axis of the control rod guide assembly arecontinuously guided over substantially the entire axial length of thecontrol rod guide assembly. In an additional embodiment all of thecontrol rods are continuously guided over substantially an entire axiallength of the control rod guide assembly.

In one embodiment, the control rod guide assembly has a first axiallyextending segment and a second axially extending segment with the firstsegment extending into the lower guide tube section and the secondsegment extending into the upper guide tube section. Preferably, in thislatter embodiment, the first segment terminates at an upper end in afirst guide plate, the second segment terminates at a lower end in asecond guide plate and the first and second guide plates are joined atthe intermediate coupling. Preferably, the first and second guide plateshave openings through which all of the control rods pass and the firstand second guide plates have either an alignment hole or an alignmentpin for aligning the openings in the first guide plate with thecorresponding openings in the second guide plate. Desirably, the firstguide plate and the second guide plate, respectively, have a peripheralradially extending flange with each flange extending into a radialrecess on a radial interior of the intermediate coupling, which clampsthe flanges together.

In another embodiment, the control rod guide assembly extendsapproximately between 0.9 and 23 inches (2.3 and 58.4 cm). Morepreferably, the control rod guide assembly extends axially approximatelybetween 0.9 and 7 inches (2.3 and 17.8 cm).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the invention can be gained from thefollowing description of the preferred embodiments when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic of a nuclear reactor to which thisinvention may be applied;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a nuclearreactor vessel and internal components to which this invention may beapplied;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a fuel assemblyillustrated in vertically shortened form with parts broken away forclarity;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of the control rod guide tube 54illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of one of the guide cards in the upper guide tube84 illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an extended control rod guide assemblywhich is inserted within the intermediate coupling in place of a wornguide plate, in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the upper segment of the extendedcontrol rod guide assembly shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lower segment of the extendedcontrol rod guide assembly shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the upper internals guide tube 54taken at the intermediate coupling location with the extended controlrod guide assembly of one embodiment of this invention incorporatedtherein;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the extended control rod guide assemblyof one embodiment of this invention installed in the lower guide tube78;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of an upper section of a second embodiment of thecontrol rod guide assembly of this invention;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the lower section of the second embodiment ofthe control rod guide assembly illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of the controlrod guide assembly in which the upper guide tube section and the lowerguide tube section are constructed as a solid member; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The useful life of a guide tube 54 can be substantially extended byreplacing the guide plate at the intermediate coupling 86 during arefueling outage with the extended control rod guide assembly of thisinvention, one embodiment of which is illustrated in FIG. 6. Thisinvention provides an extended control rod guide assembly 90 that issupported substantially at the intermediate coupling 86 and extendsaxially, a finite distance into at least one of the interior of thelower guide tube section 78 or the upper guide tube section 84. Theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 extends into both the upper guide tubesection 84 and the lower guide tube section 78 and is formed from alower segment 94 and an upper segment 92. The upper segment 92 has aguide plate 114 at its lower end with openings 72 that substantiallymatch the openings in the guide card 70 and terminates at its upper end106 with a guide ring with peripheral openings 72 that support a portionof the circumference of the outer row of control rods 28. In addition,continuous support between the lower support plate 114 and the uppersupport ring 106 is provided by the support channels 110 for the controlrods at the cardinal axes of the control rod assembly. Thus, discreteaxially spaced support for some of the control rods 28 are providedwhile continuous support is provided for other of the control rods 28over the upper segment 92 of the extended control rod guide assembly 90.

The lower segment 94 of the extended control rod guide assembly of thisembodiment terminates at its upper end in a guide plate 116 withopenings that correspond to the openings in the guide plate 114 on theupper segment 92. The lower segment 94 terminates at its lower end in aguide ring 108 which is connected to the guide plate 116 by thecontinuous support channels 110 as shown in FIG. 8. The upper guideplate 114 and the lower guide plate 116 are joined by the bolts 104 andaligned through an alignment pin in one or the other of the guideplates, that fits through an alignment hole 100 in the other of theguide plates to assure the openings 72 in the guide plates 114 and 116are lined up.

FIG. 9 shows the extended control rod guide assembly 90 with its flanges96 and 98 installed in a recess in the intermediate coupling 86 which islocked in place by the bolts 112. FIG. 10 shows a perspective view ofthe upper segment 92 of the extended control rod guide assembly 90installed within the lower guide tube section 78 with the flange 96resting on the lower flange of the intermediate coupling 86. In thisembodiment where not all of the control rods receive continuous supportover the length of the extended control rod guide assembly, the controlrod guide assembly may extend approximately between 0.9 and 23 inches(2.3 and 58.4 cm). More preferably, this type of control rod guideassembly extends axially approximately between 0.9 and 7 inches (2.3 and17.8 cm).

Like reference characters are employed for corresponding componentsamong the several views. In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 11-14,the upper segment 92 and the lower segment 94 of the extended controlrod guide assembly 90 are respectively made of a solid continuous lengthof material such as stainless steel with the openings 72, 74 and 76providing continuous guidance for all of the control rods oversubstantially the entire length of the extended control rod guideassembly. As in the above case the upper segment 92 and the lowersegment 94 may be joined at the intermediate coupling 86 which capturesthe respective flanges 96 and 98. Alternately, the upper segment 92 andthe lower segment 94 can be constructed as one piece with the flange96/98 radially extending from an intermediate elevation for capturewithin the intermediate coupling. In this latter embodiment, the controlrod guide assembly may extend approximately between 1.6 and 23 inches(4.1 and 58.4 cm). More preferably, the control rod guide assemblyextends axially approximately between 1.6 and 7 inches (4.1 and 17.8cm).

Thus, the extended control rod guide assembly of this invention, wheninstalled, provides extended support for the control rod assembly thatcompensates for some of the wear in the guide cards 70, while adding aminimum of additional friction to the control rod travel path andsubstantially extends the life of a control rod guide tube 54 withoutrequiring replacement of either of the guide tube sections.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described indetail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and alternatives to those details could be developed inlight of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, theparticular embodiments disclosed are meant to be illustrative only andnot limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given thefull breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A nuclear reactor including a pressure vesselhousing a core of fissile material and an upper core plate substantiallycovering the core, a control rod guide tube having an extended axiallength, for guiding a control rod assembly comprising a plurality ofindividual control rods, into and out of the core, the control rod guidetube extending between the upper core plate and an upper support platesupported above the upper core plate, the control rod guide tubecomprising: a lower guide tube section connected at a first end to theupper core plate and terminating at a second end at a rigid intermediatecoupling; an upper guide tube section connected at a first end portionto the upper support plate and terminating at a second end at the rigidintermediate coupling; and an extended control rod guide assemblysupported substantially at the rigid intermediate coupling and extendingaxially, a finite distance into at least one of an interior of the lowerguide tube section or the upper guide tube section, the extended controlrod guide assembly being configured to provide support for the pluralityof individual control rods, wherein the finite distance is substantiallyless than the extended axial length of the control rod guide tube, andwherein the extended control rod guide assembly comprises at least oneflange installed in a recess in the intermediate coupling.
 2. Thenuclear reactor of claim 1 wherein at least some of the plurality ofcontrol rods are continuously guided over substantially an entire axiallength of the extended control rod guide assembly.
 3. A nuclear reactorincluding a pressure vessel housing a core of fissile material and anupper core plate substantially covering the core, a control rod guidetube having an extended axial length, for guiding a control rod assemblycomprising a plurality of individual control rods, into and out of thecore, the control rod guide tube extending between the upper core plateand an upper support plate supported above the upper core plate, thecontrol rod guide tube comprising: a lower guide tube section connectedat a first end to the upper core plate and terminating at a second endat a rigid intermediate coupling; an upper guide tube section connectedat a first end portion to the upper support plate and terminating at asecond end at the rigid intermediate coupling; and an extended controlrod guide assembly supported substantially at the rigid intermediatecoupling and extending axially, a finite distance into at least one ofan interior of the lower guide tube section or the upper guide tubesection, the extended control rod guide assembly being configured toprovide support for the plurality of individual control rods, whereinthe finite distance is substantially less than the extended axial lengthof the control rod guide tube, wherein at least some of the plurality ofcontrol rods are continuously guided over substantially an entire axiallength of the extended control rod guide assembly, and wherein some ofthe control rods are guided over discrete axial sections of the extendedcontrol rod guide assembly.
 4. The nuclear reactor of claim 3 whereinthe control rods guided over continuous sections are provided withsupport by support channels extending through cardinal axes of theextended control rod guide assembly.
 5. The nuclear reactor of claim 2wherein all of the control rods are continuously guided oversubstantially the entire axial length of the extended control rod guideassembly.
 6. The nuclear reactor of claim 5 wherein the extended controlrod guide assembly extends axially approximately between 1.6 and 23inches (4.1 and 58.4 cm).
 7. The nuclear reactor of claim 6 wherein theextended control rod guide assembly extends axially approximatelybetween 1.6 and 7 inches (4.1 and 17.8 cm).
 8. The nuclear reactor ofclaim 1 wherein the extended control rod guide assembly has a firstaxially extending segment and a second axially extending segment withthe first segment extending into the lower guide tube section and thesecond segment extending into the upper guide tube section, with thefirst axially extending segment and the second axially extending segmentbeing supported at the rigid intermediate coupling.
 9. The nuclearreactor of claim 1 wherein the extended control rod guide assemblyextends axially approximately between 0.9 and 23 inches (2.3 and 58.4cm).
 10. The nuclear reactor of claim 9 wherein the extended control rodguide assembly more preferably extends axially approximately between 0.9and 7 inches (2.3 and 17.8 cm).
 11. The nuclear reactor of claim 1wherein at least some of the plurality of control rods are continuouslyguided over substantially an entire axial length of the extended controlrod guide assembly, and are provided with support by support channelsextending through cardinal axes of the extended control rod guideassembly.
 12. The nuclear reactor of claim 3 wherein the extendedcontrol rod guide assembly extends axially approximately between 1.6 and23 inches (4.1 and 58.4 cm).
 13. The nuclear reactor of claim 12 whereinthe extended control rod guide assembly extends axially approximatelybetween 1.6 and 7 inches (4.1 and 17.8 cm).
 14. The nuclear reactor ofclaim 3 wherein the extended control rod guide assembly has a firstaxially extending segment and a second axially extending segment withthe first segment extending into the lower guide tube section and thesecond segment extending into the upper guide tube section, with thefirst axially extending segment and the second axially extending segmentbeing supported at the rigid intermediate coupling.
 15. The nuclearreactor of claim 3 wherein the extended control rod guide assemblyextends axially approximately between 0.9 and 23 inches (2.3 and 58.4cm).
 16. The nuclear reactor of claim 15 wherein the extended controlrod guide assembly more preferably extends axially approximately between0.9 and 7 inches (2.3 and 17.8 cm).